The butcher steel is often confused as a sharpener when in fact it is used to hone the blade. Diamond sharpeners are designed to shave away the blade creating new teeth for the blade to use. The butcher steel is a maintenance tool and should be used often to keep your knives in great condition. Using your steel is like brushing your teeth, you want to do it often. Sharpening knives is like going to the dentist, you only want to do that once or twice a year. If you hone your blades often you won't have to sharpen your knives for a long time. Honing your blade should not be taken lightly, they are the key to keeping your knives like new without the need of sharpening.